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My poor dad is currently going through some sort of mid-life crisis – and he’s only fifty-one. Lately, he’s been on a diet, started watching what he drinks, buying outlandish Hawaiian shirts from the bargain basket at our local Primark and most recently he’s been talking about learning how to ride a motorbike !

He surpassed himself the other day though when he came home armed with a box of ‘Just for Men Moustache and Beard Brush-in Colour Gel’. He said it was on special offer at Superdrug at the bargain price of £3.75 (RRP £4.99). He left it on the kitchen bench when he came in from work, without saying anything to anyone, and then popped off upstairs to change out of his work gear. By the time he had come back downstairs again my brother had taken the box into the living room. My brother, who is not renowned for being the most sensitive or tactful member of our family, began to mercilessly goad my poor dad all through tea. Mum and me asked dad more ‘sensible’ questions about his choice of purchase, such as, why did he feel the need to buy a colour for a beard and moustache, when dad has neither
of these. Dad went on to explain that he’d bought it specifically for his eyebrows and ‘just in case’ he ever grows a moustache (it turned out he’s been thinking about growing one for a while anyway) – he explained that as the hair on his head (and his eyebrow)s is starting to look a little grey in places) that he thought it best to be prepared before the ‘tache came through!

Straight after tea dad nipped upstairs to prepare his transformation. Both mum and me asked him if he wanted any help but he declined our offers. He went off into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. Whilst he was upstairs I read on the back of the box that this stuff is NOT meant to be used on eyebrows (in case the solution gets into the eyes). I ran upstairs and shouted at dad through the bathroom door but he shouted back that he “bloody well knew”, so I told him to be careful and left him to it.

Dad seemed to up there for ages and we kept shouting to ask if he was okay and if he was managing and he shouted back that he was fine. I’d say it was about 20 minutes later he emerged and gingerly walked into our living room …. To reveal the darkest set of eyebrows I’ve seen that were not stick on ones! I think that what made matters worse is that dad has horrendously bushy eyebrows with a lot of large coarse hairs in them and the colour just seemed to take hold and made him have a slightly startled look about him! Mum stifled a giggle and got up to make a cup of tea. Dad asked what we thought and to be honest I wasn’t quite sure how to reply. Yes, they were dark – much darker than the hair on his head but dad had also coloured his sideburns and it just looked ‘wrong’ somehow.

I told dad he looked very nice but maybe it would take a little while for the colour to settle. As the night wore on, dad did agree that perhaps the colour was a little TOO obvious and started to panic that his mates would take the Mickey once he got back to work. I suggested he wash his face a good few times. I’m not sure how many times he did wash his face over the weekend but by the time Monday came the colour had settled down a bit and he was fairly confident about going into work.

Looking at the instructions in the box, (which are fairly detailed, I have to say) it looks like it’s an easy product to use. It comes with a colour base, a colour developer, plastic gloves, mixing trays and mixing brushes. There is enough product for approximately five applications, so should dad need to use it again then there will be plenty left. It also comes in a range of colours, varying from light brown through to black. Dad had chosen mid brown so goodness knows how dark this stuff develops if the black one is used !

When dad got back on Monday night after work we asked him if anyone had said anything he just said, “nah, not really”. Phew!

Nan saw him Tuesday when she came over for tea and told him (in the way only my nan can) that he looked like “a right pansy” !! Dad is now in the process of growing a moustache and we are all intrigued as to what colour it will be when it finally comes through. Needless to say, I suspect dad will be armed and ready with his plastic gloves and mixing tray should there be any hint of grey on the horizon.

Fairly good product I’d say, dad says he’d recommend it but to be honest I much prefer the ‘natural ‘look.

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Lol I can imagine your dad looking like Alistair Darling after using the product.

JasonJRogers 17.03.2011 23:35

An excellent and concise review love! E!

Magrippinho 07.02.2011 18:30

This was a very fun review, although getting a much darker shade than the one advertised seems like a pretty big deal! My father occasionally experiments with "trendy" designs for his beard, but I don't think he'd ever go as far as colouring it.